Lionel Messi doesn’t want to retire too soon and wants a long career.
Yesterday in Paris, Lionel Messi made history by breaking his own record. The captain of Argentina and Inter Miami won his eighth Ballon d’Or. He became the first player to win the most Ballon d’Ors. It was especially impressive that he won the trophy at an age of 62, making him the second-oldest Ballon D’Or winner. After winning the award, Messi stated that he’s satisfied with all he’s achieved and this is his final Ballon d’Or. He also said that he would like to play for as long as possible.
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Lionel Messi, 35 years old at the time, won his first World Cup in 2014. It was already planned to be his final World Cup appearance. His contribution to the team’s win was immeasurable. It led Argentina to win the World Cup for 36 years. He won the most Player of the Match awards (5) in the history. He won the Golden Ball and missed the Golden Boot by just one goal.
Messi’s Ballon d’Or win this year was the culmination of all these incredible achievements. He became the first player to win eight Ballon d’Ors. He was also the second-oldest winner of the award in the history of the award. Stanley Matthews, who was 41 when the award was first presented in 1956, holds the top spot. After winning this award, Messi told L’Equipe. “[I] I stopped thinking about the Ballon d’Or. I think this is my last Ballon d’Or.”
He added. “I’m proud to have achieved all that I’ve done and to be the sole player with eight Ballons d’Or.” “That’s it.” Messi played full matches with Inter Miami after only 3-4 days. At his age, this increases the risk of injury and fatigue. He was injured and had to be sidelined for a few weeks. His fans still expect him to play for a few more years.
Messi’s fans seem to share the same sentiment. L’Equipe asked Messi what he planned to do after retirement. “When I want a long time to play. We’ll see how I feel. I’m not able to give a specific date. Things change every day. But I hope that it will last for a long time. I’m going to keep doing it for a long while, because I love it.” There is a possibility that he won’t play at the World Cup in 2026, when he turns 39.